Pretoria:  The National Commissioner of Police, General Khehla John Sitole has applauded the team led by Head Office Crime Intelligence on the rescue of a 28-year-old kidnap victim without any ransom being paid and the arrest of five suspects today.

On 12 November 2021 Mr Tahseen Mateen Kardame, a Moulana (religious leader), was kidnapped outside his father’s hardware franchise in Benoni.

The multi-disciplinary integrated task team immediately activated a new intervention which led to the rescue of Mr Kadame. Following intensive investigations, the team initially arrested two suspects in Daveyton, including an Ekurhuleni Municipal Traffic Department employee, at 23:30 last night.

The team continued with investigations which led the team to Wattville, Benoni, Gauteng and at 09:00 today arrested a third suspect.

The investigations eventually led the team to a house in Katlehong where the kidnap victim was rescued and two more men were arrested bringing to five the total numbered of suspects attested thus far.

Suspects are all South Africans between 29 years and 72 years of age of which one is a well-known cash-in-transit robber who is currently out on bail.  The team recovered a total of at least 15 cellphones, a total of three firearms including a semi-automatic rifle, shotgun and pistol as well as ammunition.

The suspects will be appearing in the Benoni Magistrates’ court on Thursday, 2 December 2021 on charges of kidnapping, extortion and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.

We continue to appeal to anyone who has any information on crime to please contact the SAPS Crime Stop on 086 00 10111. Information can also be communicated via the SAPS MySAPS app.

All information will be treated with strictest confidence and callers may remain anonymous.

Source: South African Police Service